Prune dipper and trayer.



F. E. PAYNE. PRUNE DIPPER AND TRAYER.

APPLIOATION IILED JAN. 26, 1911.

Patented Apr. 1,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

OI-1 1M! PLANOGRAPH Con WASHINGTON, B. c.

P. E. PAYNE.

PRUNE DIPPER AND TRAYER.

Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

APPLICATION FILED $1311.26, 1911.

5 u M W m m A M a a m mm mm E 2F; mm v Q :;5 NF Q m 4 w 3 K .ma .3 2 w mv M m n Q W .1 W1? F. E. PAYNE.

PRUNE DIPPER AND TRAYER.

APPLICATION FILED JAILZG, 1911.

Patented Apr. 1,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 3.

FRANK E. PAYNE, OF CAIVIAS, WASHINGTON.

'PRUNE DIPPER AND TRAYER.

Application filed January 26, 1911.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK E. PAYNE, a citizenof the United States, residing at Camas, in the county of Clarke, Stateof Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPrune Dippers and Trayers and I do hereby declare the follow ing to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to prune dippers and trayers.

The object of the invention resides in the provision of a prune trayerwhich is adapted to be automatically operated so as to deliver theprunes uniformly on to trays.

IVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thedetails of construction and in the arrangement and combination of partsto be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out inthe appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference denotecorresponding parts in the several views, and in which Figure l is aside elevation of a trayer constructed in accordance with the invention,Fig. 2, a longitudinal section through the trayer, Fig. 3, a section onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 2, Fig. at, a detail perspective view of the clutchmechanism disposed in the actuating means of the trayer. Fig. 5, adetail fragmental perspective view of the delivery end of the screen ofthe trayer, and

Fig. 6, a section on the line 66 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the trayer is shown as comprising asupporting frame B which includes corner posts 53, inclined upper sidemembers 54 and 55, and lower side members 56 and 57. The upper sidemembers 54 and 55 are connected together at the receiving end of thetrayer by means of a cross beam 58 and at the delivery end of the trayerby means of a cross beam 59. The lower side members 56 and 57 areconnected together adjacent one end by means of a rod 60, while asimilar rod 61 connects said lower side members 56 and 57 togetheradjacent their other ends. Mounted upon the rods 60 and 61 is areciprocating frame which comprises a pair of arms 62 and 63 pivotallymounted upon the rod 60 and a pair of arms 64 and 65 pivotally mountedSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented A131. 1,1913. Serial No. 604,834. I

upon the rod 61. The arms 62 and 64 are pivotally connected together attheir upper ends to'a member 66, while the arms 63 and 65 are pivotallyconnected at their upper ends to a corresponding member 67 These members66 and 67 are connected together at the receiving end of the trayer by across beam 68, while another cross beam 69 connects said members 66 and67 together at the delivery end of the trayer. Supported upon the innerend of the frame formed bv the members 66 and 67 and the cross beams 68and 69 is a screen F which is positioned to receive prunes deliveredfrom the dipper. This screen includes side members 66 and 67 which areconnected together by a bottom portion 68 provided with a plurality oflongitudinal slots 69.

' Controlling the delivery of the screen F is a gate 70 which is pivotedbetween the sidemembers 66 and 67 and controlled in a manner to behereinafter referred to. Supported upon the frame by the side members 66and 67 and the cross beam 69, at the delivery end of the screen F is atray holder G which is formed of a frame having one side open andincluding end members 71 and 72and a side member 73. These end members71 and 72 are provided with cut away portions on their adjacent facesforming resultant shoulders, and upon these shoulders is adapted to beremovably supported a tray H for receiving prunes from the screen F. Itwill of course be apparent that as soon as the tray is full, it caneasily be removed from the tray holder G by passage through the openside of the frame of which sald holder is formed. The gate 70 iscontrolled by means of a lever 74 which is pivoted to the lower sidemember 57 of the frame B, and connected to said gate by means of a link7 5. This lever is normally held in position to close the gate by meansof a spring 76, one end of which engages the lever and the other end ofwhich is secured to the lower side member 67. By this construc tion, itwill be apparent that when the lever 75 is depressed, the gate 70 willbe opened and as soon as the lever 75- is released, the gate70 will bemoved to closed position by the movement of the lever 75 under theinfluence of the spring 76. In this respect, it will be apparent that assoon as the tray carried by the holder G has been completely filled, thegate is moved to closed position until the next tray is inserted in theholder.

In order to effect the automatic reciprocation of the frame formed bythe arms 62, 63, (34 and 65; members 66 and 67, and cross beams 68 and(39, there is mounted on the inner corner posts 53 of the frame Bjournal bearings 77, and in these bearings is journaled ashaft 78. Thisshaft has one end extended beyond the adjacent journal bearing andloosely mounted upon this extended end is a sprocket wheel 80, andbetween this sprocket wheel and the adjacent end of the shaft 78 issplined a clutch 81. This clutch is normally forced into operativeengagement with the sprocket wheel SO by means of a spring 82. In ,orderto shift the clutch out of engagement with the sprocket wheel 80, thereis provided a pivoted lever 88 which is so connected to the clutch as topermit the free rotation of the latter under the influence of the shaft7 8 but which will shift said clutch longitudinally of said shaft whensaid lever is oscillated on its pivot. This lever is controlled by meansof a link rod 8% which is connectedto the free end thereof and extendsto the opposite side of the frame B where it terminates in a grip handle85. A catch pin 86 mounted on the side member 54: is positioned toengage the looped handle 85 when the clutch has been operated againstthe influence of the spring 82 and thus lock said clutch inactive.

The shaft 78 is rotated by means of a sprocket chain 87 which travels onthe sprocket wheel 80, said chain being operated from a suitable sourceof power not shown. The shaft 7 8 has its central portion offset to forma crank arm, and this crank is connected to the cross beam 69 by meansof a link 88 so that when said shaft is rotated, the arms 62, 63, 6e and65 Will be oscillated on their pivots and produce a reciprocation of,the frame formed by the member 66 and 67 and the cross beams 68 and 69,this rocking of said frame serving to work the prunes from the screen Fto the tray H and properly distribute same upon said tray.

What is claimed is A traying device comprising a supporting frame, areciprocating frame carried by said supporting frame and movablelongitudinally thereof, means for reciprocating said frame, a screencarried by said reciprocating frame, a hinged gate mounted on saidscreen and controlling the delivery end thereof, means for normallyholding said gate closed, lever operated means for opening said gate,and a tray holder mounted on the reciprocating frame at the delivery endof the screen.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of tWowitnesses.

FRANK E. PAYNE.

Witnesses O. F. J OI-INSON, E. BAUMAN.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

